EXOTIC BUTTERFLY PUPAE

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EXOTIC BUTTERFLY PUPAE

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Most exotic pupae emerge quite quickly. For international orders, post takes too long, so fast-developing pupae are sent by XXP Express courier. Delivery in Europe is usually next day after dispatch. In cases where shipping by express courier is shown as Advisory, rather than Obligatory, please remember that you accept all risks of delay, hatching, exposure to adverse conditions, death, loss or damage in transit. Such risks are almost eliminated by using express courier, which usually delivers everything very fresh and in the peak of condition.

IMPORTANT - Please read this guide to hatching of exotic butterfly pupae:

Provide warmth and humidity that the pupae normally experience in the tropics. About 30°C is ideal, and humidity above 70%. The butterflies like a warm greenhouse containing nectar plants, and this is the best place also for the emerging cage for the pupae. Shade the cage from direct sun, which is too harsh. If you don’t have such an environment, you may be able to simulate a warm and humid atmosphere in another way, but don’t apply direct heat. The whole cage needs to be in an even temperature and humidity. It is usually beneficial to mist the pupae at least once a day. It is normal in nature for night to be cooler than day.

It’s a good idea to suspend the pupae. To do this, use a cane held horizontally. Apply a very thin line of contact adhesive eg Evostick along the cane. Lay the cane on a table and, when it is tacky but not yet set hard, touch the tails of the pupae on the line of glue. Warning: excess glue actually kills the pupa, so use just a very thin line. When the glue has set you can pick up the cane, with all the pupae hanging by their tails from it.

Pupae of the Swallowtail and Pierid families don’t hang from the tail (cremaster), head downwards. They are attached to a twig at the tail, and they use a silk sling around the wing cases to anchor themselves, head upwards and at an angle away from the twig. To simulate this, you can take some lengths of cane. Make a thin line of glue as described above. Lay the cane on a table, then attach the tails of the pupae to the glue line, and touch the abdomen also against the glue line. Once dry, the cane can be arranged standing at an angle against the sides of the emerging cage, or you can arrange them stuck into a block of florist’s foam. There needs to be enough space to allow the emerging butterflies to climb up, expand and dry their wings.

Usually fixing the pupae to a cane helps to give hatching butterflies the best foothold. When fixed to canes pupae are very exposed and can easily dry out. Mist them several times a day. If you don’t wish to glue the pupae to a cane, they can be laid out on corrugated card or other rough surfaces, such as greengrocer’s imitation grass mats or coconut matting, flat on the bottom of the emerging cage. This material may help to keep the pupae moist if you spray them at least once a day. For hygiene the material needs to be cleaned or replaced every few days.

Resulting butterflies do well in a tropical greenhouse, planted with lush greenery and copious nectar-bearing flowers. Some species like to feed from over-ripe fruit. They may live 2-4 weeks in such conditions, exceptionally they can live longer. Kept in a cage in a house, their life may be just a few days, but sometimes longer if they are given fresh nectar flowers each day, and misted to prevent the atmosphere becoming too dry. Non-native butterflies must not be released.

From several world regions and families. Un-labelled, selected for beauty and interest. The pupae alone are things of great beauty and interest. One of the real joys of nature!

Choose between the STANDARD World Collection and the DE LUXE World Collection. Both are varied and interesting. The DE LUXE includes such beauties as the shimmering blue Morpho, Giant Owl Butterflies, Larger exotic Swallowtails, Iridescent blue banded Prepona and the like. The pupae are usually larger and some very intricate.

Illustrations are representative: yours may not be these species as there are so many to choose from - good value is always assured. When possible 10 different species will be sent though this is not always possible.

These are very varied in shape, size, colour and pattern. They are mostly tropical or sub-tropical and for emergence provide warmth and humidity that the pupae normally have in their natural environment.

These are some of the loveliest butterflies of all butterflies. They come, unlabelled, ready to emerge and surprise you. Some may form up and emerge within a few days, others may take a month or more. When possible ten different species will be supplied.

Photos on this site are representative and, as there are so many species, your collection may have any of the possible species, not necessarily those illustrated.

This is an extraordinary Swallowtail, endemic to Madagascar, one of the largest Papilios in the world. The pupa is almost more like a small Birdwing pupa than a Swallowtail. A pupa is illustrated with a European Swallowtail pupa for size comparison. Look closely at the picture of one of the butterflies recently emerged from a group of pupae.

A flight area in a greenhouse or conservatory is needed to really appreciate this butterfly, particularly in flight, but if you can provide a warm airing cupboard, with temperature around 30 deg C, and hight humidy, you can enjoy the thrill of seeing these giants emerge from their abnormally large chrysalides.

A very successful butterfly in the greenhouse or conservatory. Provide good nectar plants, especially Lantana. The larvae feed on Citrus, Choysia, Rue and Skimmia. The butterflies breed very easily and you get successive generations.

Exotic pupae need a hot and humid greenhouse atmosphere, shaded from the sun.

Very large Swallowtail, occuring throughout most of tropical Asia. This species appears in many forms of colouring and pattern.

The wonderful larvae, feed on Citrus, starting with camouflage as bird droppings, and finishing up with large false eye markings and disruptive pattern to deceive predators. Breeds well in captivity in the right greenhouse conditions.

A large and very striking butterfly, with vivid scarlet underside. Black on top, suffused with bottle blue. An active flyer and one that will breed in greenhouse conditions, with plenty of nectar flowers and Citrus bushes as foodplant for the larvae.

One of the most vivid of the exotic Asian moss-green Swallowtails. Palinurus flies well in a conservatory and settles with wings prominently open. The butterflies need nectar flowers such as Pentas, Buddleia and Lantana. Pupae need a hot and humid greenhouse atmosphere, shaded from the sun.

A very large and grand Swallowtail. The two sexes are quite different. The female is usually tailed, but there are tail-less forms, and is beautifully patterned, very simililarly to the more widespread Papilio memnon.

Males are black, with steely-blue areas on the hindwing. Most often the male has no tails.nhouseThis species can be paired in captivity, in suitable greenhouse conditions. The larvae are Citrus feeders.

Males are a distinctive creamy yellow, with dark chocolate markings, and prominent tails. Females are mimetic of distasteful Danaids and can vary both in ground colouration, and markings. Dardanus larvae feed on Citrus and will sometimes accept Choisya or Skimmia.